Delayed gripper action attachment



Oct 1951 E. s. MOODY DELAYED GRIPPER ACTION-ATTACHMENT Filed April 16, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l I m'vutor M M a J 4.

Oct. 9, 1951 E. s. MOODY DELAYED GRIPPER ACTION ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1946 r w H e v v H 1 22 1mm? fma'ad v 9 B] W m WW fi Oct. 9, 1951 5, MOODY 2,570,699

DELAYED GRIPPER ACTION ATTACHMENT Filed April 16, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 WWI/we; 5m

O 9, 1951 E. s. MOODY 2,570,699

DELAYED GRIPPER ACTION ATTACHMENT Filed April 16, '1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor zzkmrdfmaq (wi l m Patented Oct. 9, 1951 "UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce DELAYED GRIPPER ACTION ATTACHMENT Edward s. Moody, Riverside, Calif.

Application April 16, 1946, Serial No. 662,513

" 1 Claim. (01. 101-408) This invention relates to printing presses, and especially presses of the platen type, in the form of an attachment to cause a delayed opening of the grippers which are operated by the regular cam action of the press, without altering or changing either the press or the feeder therefor,

to cause the grippers to open late or-with a delayed action, to assist the automatic feeder in taking the sheet out of the press after it is printed.

The object of the invention is to provide an attachment which may be applied to platen presses, such as the Chandler and Price platen pres having a regular or Kluge type of paper feed, and a regular type of grip or otherwise, which may be applied to such press without alteration, in which the grippers are operated by the regular cam action of the press and to cause a delayed opening of the grippers so that the latter will maintain their grip on the sheet which is printed to assist the automatic feeder in taking the sheet out-of the press after it is printed by delaying the release of the grippers or opening thereof so that they will assist in taking the sheet out-of the press beforebeing released and without requiring any modification of the press or gripping means. l

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character described which is relatively simple, whichcan be easily applied to the press having grippers such specified, without modifying either, and which' is relatively simple, positive and accurate in operation and can be economicallyproduced and applied or removed, thereby insuring greatly increased press output with improved printing-quality.

Another object of the invention is to provide a delayed gripper action attachment which holds the grippers firmly down on the stock until the take-out suckers are over the stock, assuring a first-class job on anything printable, including warped envelopes, manifold sheets, thin paper, and the like, and eliminating slurred printing at high speed so that positive removal of-the sheet is insured andinterruption to the printing operation avoided. 1

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure l is, a side elevation of a platen type press, such as the Chandler and Price press with an automatic feeder such as the Kluge type, showing the attachment applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the press when the grippers are open for the suckers to take the sheet out and feed a new sheet in,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing another position in which the grippers are allowed to open all the way p, V

Figure 4 is a similar view with the grippers still held firm against the platen by its regular cam action,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the attachment in use to cause the delayed action or opening of the grippers to insure the sheet being taken out of the press by the automatic feeder. after it is printed,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a fragmentary portion of the press with the parts in the intermediate position and the gripper closed,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the bull or crank wheel showing the attachment applied thereto as seen in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is an edge view in sectional elevation of the cam-operated actuating arm for delaying the opening of the grippers,

Figure 9 is a plan view showing the gripping mechanism and the attachment applied thereto,

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section showing the ball bearing roller on the cam-actuated operating arm for delaying the opening of the grippers, and mounting thereof, and I Figure 11 is a similar detail section showing the mounting of the cam track on the crank or bull wheel, taken on the line HI| of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the preess frame is indicated at l5 and has the press bed l5 mounted at I! to swing in the usual way by its connection through the rods or links [8 with the bull or crank wheel I9, such as in a Chandler and Price platen preess, The bull or crank wheel I9 is driven on the shaft or axle 2B in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrows. The platen is indicated at 2! having the grippers 22.and the conventional Kluge or other automatic paper feeder well known in the art. The grippers cooperate with the platen and may have a conventional Chandler and Price cam-operating mechanism indicated at 23, which allows compensating or delayed motion of the grippers with respect thereto in association with the present device for delaying the opening thereof, and suckers 2t are provided to remove or release the paper sheets P. The grippers 22 are carried by the usual gripper bar 26 pivoted at 25 and provided with an arm 26'. It has been found that with a type of press,

3 such as indicated, and with a Kluge or similar automatic feeder, difficulty is experienced in removing the sheet after being printed, due to the release of the grippers prematurely, that is, the opening thereof, the opening and closing of the grippers being operated by the regular cam action of the press which has a compensating or differential motion relative to the presentdevioe for delaying the opening of the grippers and which supplements the regular cam mechanism for actuating the grippers. The present attach.- ment is for the purpose of delaying the opening of the grippers without altering or changing either the press or the feeder by attachment to the press witthout alteration, to cause the grippers to open late, that with va delayed action, to assist the automatic feeder in taking length thereof. Therefore, as the roller 34 on cam track 42 starts down the decline of the track from point 42' to the lower end, it allows the operating arm 21 to move back as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. This in turn allows the grippers 22 to rise off the bed of the platen due to the connection of the gripper bar 26 by means of the connecting rod 38 constituting an operating rod. for the gripper bar 26 and grippers 22 from the operating arm '21 by reason of connection with the upper end of the latter.

the sheet out of the press after it is printed and to render the same positive and sure in action. With this arrangement, the efficiency of the press feeder combination is increased from fifty to. eighty-five per cent.

In accordance with the invention, the. attachment includes a means for'delaying the release of the grippers and is positioned on. the left-hand side .of the press and consists of a curved operating arm 21,- having a sleeve 28- at one end, piv:otally mounted on the frame l by removing one of the frame bolts F'to receive a special bolt 29 threaded thereinto, as shown in- Figure 8'. The bolt 29 is in the form of a stud bolt having a, wrench-engaging portion or head 30 to facilitate its attachment and a reduced cylindricalsmoothportion 3L on which the operating arm 2'! is pivoted and held by a lag bolt or screw 32 with an interposed washer. The operating arm is curved as shown and has an intermediate, laterally extended arm 33 to which a ball bearing roller 34 is held by a lag bolt or screw 35 with an interposed washer. The free end of the arm 21 isbifurcated to form apertured ears, one of which is threaded, to receive a slotted coupler bolt 36 to which. a coupler socket 3'] is pivoted to take an operating rod 3B threaded thereinto, that is, into thesocket .31

and held by a lock nut 38. The rod 38? is bent, as'shown, angularly at two points in ogee formation and has its free end pivotally connectedto a stud bolt 39 which is screwed into the lower edge of the gripper bar 26 or arm 26 thereof to fasten the operating rod thereto. A spring 4!! connected to the arm 21 intermediately to theframe I S serves to. position the arm to hold. it upwardly and also to hold the grippers wide open in connection with the usual pull spring 4! to allow the entrance of a new sheet fed onto the. platen 21.

A special curved cam. track 42. having anapertured lug or a reduced or thin portion-43 at one end and provided with a hole is fastened to the bull'or crank wheel is by a machine screw 44. The cam track surface 45 extends across theface of' the cam track toward the oppositeend, asindicated at 46, and thisend is a-Isofastened to the bull wheel through an apertured flattened. portion or radial flange thereof, as indicated at 4.1;, so that'the cam track projects outwardly of the peripheral edge of the bull-wheel. to permit-the ball bearing roller 34 to ride thereon. during the clockwise rotation of the crank or' bullwvheel. The take-off suckers 2-4 are positioned directly overand ready to take; the sheet for mounting the cam or cam track on the crank, wheel with roller 34 at the timing point '42, and. as it revolves clockwise it carries the cam track with it to engage the roller bearing 34 which is: mounted on the operating arm: 21' intermediately'of the 'In the position shown in Figure 2, the roller bearingismoving. down on the decline of the cam track 42 to near the lower end thereof as the cam track turns clockwise with the crank or bull wheel L9 to allow the roller 34 and arm 21 to move in and cause the grippers to open to permit the suckers to take the printed sheet out and permit a new sheet to be fed in.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, during the continued rotationof the crank or bull. wheel, the camtrack rotating in clockwise direction with thebull wheel or crank wheel is clear of the roller bearing or roller 34 having a ball bearing mounting, allowing the grippers to open all the way up withthe: roller bearing- 34 bearing on the periph eral. edge of: the crank wheel.

Tin-Figure 4 of the drawings. another'posi-tion is shown in which the roller is free of thecrank wheel. asv distinguishedfrom the engagement of the roller at the timing point 42 as indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings, at thestart of the inward movement of the roller 34 toward the low end or decline of the track, which timing point. is located on the track at such'point. At this point, the decline of the-track allows arm 21 to move in and the grippers to open for removal of the printed sheet and to-receive a newsheet of paper. On the other hand, with the roller free 'of the crank wheel,; as shown in Figure 4, the position of the platen 21 is such as to show the same just after the impression and the platen is starting to open, when theroller is free of thecrank wheel by being forced outwardly by movement. of the platen to impression position, awaiting the approach of the cam track 42. At this point, the grippers are still heldfirm against. the platen 2|. by the regularcam gripper action of the press.

InFigure 50f the drawings, on the further rotation of the crank wheel H? in a clockwise directiomarmil having -moved in slightly with openingmovement ofv the platen, the special cam or cam-track caused to'engage the roller 34 as shown at thewide end or high point of the track and swing the operating arm outwardly or forwardly slightly to causethe delayed action of thegrippers inopening, that is, to keep the grippers closed so that the sheet will be held by reason of-thelate. or delayedopening of the grippers to assist-the automaticfeeder'in taking thesheet out. of the press after it is printed by permitting thesuckers to take hold while the sheet is held. Thisrisan'important action, since, if the gripper releases: the sheet. removal of the latter is not positive and trouble results. This is due-to the fact that'the sheetis: not'held, may curl up, be blown-loose or resultinfaflure to. remove the sheet before anew: sheet is: fed in, as will be apparentto those skilledin the. art. In this position, the'pressbed, and platen. are related. in the positions taken. thereby after the. impression. has been made. andthetwo members are starting to break apart to return to the open position. 'At this. point, the grippers 22 are still held down on the face: of the platen by the reeular chandler and Price cam action, whereas at this point, with the roller or ball bearing roller 34 free, due to the fact that the operating arm 21 is brought forward by the regular cam action of the press due to its connection through the connecting rod 38 with the gripper bar 26, after which as the crank or bull wheel continues to rotate, the cam track continues to move up in engagement with the roller. The platen is opening and normally the grippers would start to open at this point, but

the track coming in contact with the roller which is mounted on the operating arm, through its connection by the operating or connecting rod connection 38 with the gripper bar, causes the grippers to hold the sheet down on the platen until the roller reaches the declining point 42 on the track 42 by reason of the tapered formation of the latter as shown in Figure 6 immediately prior to the position shown in Figure 2 and the engagement of the roller with the peripheral edge of the crank or bull wheel as seen in Figure 3, which allows the grippers to then open to allow the withdrawal of the sheet and deposit of a new sheet.

The invention is especially applied to platen printing presses, and particularly of the type shown, such as a Chandler and Price press with a Kluge or similar automatic feeder attachment, but as an attachment thereto without altering the press, grippers or feeder for actuating the platen grippers of such presses and providing means for controlling the movement of such grippers, particularly to serve the purpose of delaying the opening of the grippers. With reference to the Chandler and Price platen press, or one of a similar type as described, in its normal operation, the grippers start to open immediately after the impression takes place and the platen starts to open or break away from the type form. Therefore, the present invention, as intended, serves to and results in the delay of the opening of the gripper action to hold the grippers firmly down on the platen bed, holding the printed sheet from curling or following the type form, until the platen is in its home or full open position. By so holding the printed sheet firmly in position for the takeout suckers to get hold of the sheet, positive removal of the sheet is insured. By incorporat ing the delayed gripper action on the Chandler and Price platen press or one of a similar type, with a Kluge or other automatic feeder combination, the efiiciency of the press is increased from fifty to eighty-five per cent, especially on thin papers and warped envelopes, and in many cases it will feed many jobs automatically which would have to be fed by hand. The device may be readily and quickly installed as an attachment on the press without altering the construction thereof by merely removing a frame bolt F and attaching the operating arm 2'! by means of the bolt 29 and connecting the operating arm to the gripper bar 26 and then turning the press over by hand until the take-out suckers are in position to take hold of the printed sheet. The cam or cam track is then attached on the crank wheel near its rim or peripheral edge with the timing arrow 42' on the cam track 42 directly on the ball bearing roller 34 by drilling two holes in the crank wheel to take the attaching screws 44 and 41 to mount the track on the crank wheel and making the connection of the operating arm 21 with the lower edge of the gripper bar 26 by means of the operating or connecting rod 38 and then pulling back the spring 40 in place and attaching it to the frame. The device or attachment is then ready to function and it produces very effective results with greatly increased production and improved printing quality at full speed.

It is thought that-persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What I claim is:

In a platen printing press, the combination of a platen, means including a crank wheel for oscillating said platen between sheet receiving and printing positions, grippers mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said platen and adapted to engage the sheet on the platen when the latter is in printing position, and means for maintaining said grippers in engagement with the sheet during the major portion of the movement of the platen from the printing position to the sheet-receiving position, and for thereafter moving said grippers away from said platen, said last-named means comprising a curved cam track secured to and extending over a portion of the peripheral surface of said crank wheel, a curved operating arm pivoted at one endto the frame of the press below said crank wheel and extending rearwardly and upwardly from its pivot, a lateral arm rigid with the intermediate portion of said operating arm, a roller journaled on said lateral arm and arranged to ride on said cam track, an operating rod connecting the other end of said operating arm to the grippers, and a spring biasing said operating arm toward said crank wheel.

EDWARD S. MOODY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

